Water Parsnip
(Hemlock Water Parsnip, Sium
Suave), Found blooming in
swamps, wet meadows, lake
shores, and ditches. Stems
and leaves can be toxic.
The root is considered to be
edible in the spring and the
autumn, however, it so resembles
very poisonous plants that it
should be considered unsafe to
eat. An infusion of
crushed root has been used to
bring relief from broken bones. Photo
by Erik W. L. Anderson

Wednesday, August 15th, 2007 -
Report
by

We get together at 10:30 and
have no trouble talking about
what is new about flowers and
other "important" things for the
next hour or so.
We decided to go up the Ball
Club road to the Pit Lake
overflow. Bette had not seen the
Wood-orchids. The "orchid
man" from Cross Lake had gone
out in his raft and paddled
around and counted 45 orchids.
They must be way over their
prime as we saw only four.
Then over on The Grade and down
Bally Creek Road, It is so dry
many of the colorful roadside
flowers are taking a rest. We
did see
Asters,
Joe Pye &
Pearly Everlasting. Most of
our energies were spent
identifying smaller more
insignificant flowers like Rough
Hawkweed (Hieracium scabrum),
Lesser Daisy Fleabane
(Erigeron strigosus
Newcomb
#382), Bicknell's Cranesbill
(Geranium bicknellii
Peterson
#260), Achillea, The Pearl - a
garden escape.
Then in the marsh off of Bally
Creek, the cutest, tiny, yellow
flower. We had seen it before
and it was still blooming - many
of them, four inches high with
grass-like leaves -
Creeping Spearwort
(Ranunculus reptans
Newcomb
#176). Also in that area were
Water Parsnip (Sium
suave).
The
weather was perfect - we had
a good, relaxing day - stopping
now and then, walking up several
forest roads and paths. We had
hoped to see
Pipsissewa blooming but
didn't.